Lifting of the health pass in Italy, the use of the anti-Covid Xevudy treatment restricted in France, the Oktoberfest back in Munich after two years of absence...
Le Figaro
takes stock this Friday, April 29 on the latest related information to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read the fileCovid-19: the coronavirus pandemic in figures and infographics
Italy deactivates the health pass but keeps the mask at the cinema
Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza signed a decree on Thursday evening lifting the obligation to wear a mask from May 1 in nightclubs, bars and restaurants or supermarkets, as well as in most workplaces where he However, it will remain
"highly recommended".
On the other hand, it will be imperative until June 15 in public transport, as well as for all types of shows – cinema, theater, music – as well as for indoor sports activities.
It will also be compulsory for employees or visitors to health facilities or residences for the elderly, and at school until the summer holidays.
The health pass, whether it is a negative test or a vaccination certificate, will also no longer be compulsory from May 1 in the vast majority of cases.
The vaccination obligation will only remain in force for health personnel until December 31.
»SEE ALSO –
In Italy, thousands of demonstrators mobilized against the health pass
French health authorities restrict the use of anti-Covid treatment Xevudy
French health authorities on Friday restricted the use of an anti-Covid treatment, Xevudy, noting its lack of effectiveness against the BA.2 sub-variant.
The High Authority for Health (HAS)
"maintains the early access authorization of this product only for patients affected by a strain other than the BA.2 subline of the Omicron variant"
, she summarizes in a press release.
.
This amounts, in fact, to excluding almost any prescription of Xevudy, a synthetic antibody developed by the British GSK, because BA.2 now represents the overwhelming majority of coronavirus contaminations.
There is in France a
“virtually exclusive circulation of the BA.2 sub-lineage”
, indeed noticed on Friday the public health agency France in its weekly update.
Administered intravenously, Xevudy, which is intended for people recently infected with the coronavirus and at risk of a severe form, had nevertheless proved to be one of the only treatments to remain effective against the Omicron variant when it arrived at the end of 2021. .
Read alsoThe European regulator approves two anti-Covid treatments
A US committee will meet in June to decide on the vaccine for babies
A committee of independent experts should be convened in June by the American Medicines Agency (FDA) to examine the extension of the anti-Covid vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna to babies from six months old.
Moderna filed Thursday with the FDA for approval of its vaccine for children between 6 months and 5 years old, and Pfizer is expected to do the same in June for children between 6 months and 4 years old.
This age group is the last to not be vaccinated in the United States, as well as in many countries.
Read alsoCovid-19: do you still need to get vaccinated?
For these vaccines to be authorized, the clinical trial data provided by the companies must first be reviewed by a committee of experts, before the FDA makes its decision.
On Friday, the American agency announced that it was planning several meetings of this committee, on June 8, 21 and 22, in order to discuss
“authorizations for the emergency use of vaccines against Covid-19 from Pfizer and Moderna, to include the younger populations
,” according to a statement.
These dates
"are provisional"
and could be revised, the agency said, knowing that the application files are not yet complete to date.
” SEE ALSO –
Covid-19: the United States is “ready” to vaccinate children under 5, pending the green light from the American Medicines Agency
South Korea: end of the compulsory mask outside
Wearing a mask outdoors, one of the last health restrictions still in force in South Korea, will cease to be compulsory from Monday, authorities announced on Friday.
The mask will remain mandatory in transportation, indoors in public places as well as when participating in gatherings of more than 50 people outdoors, said Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Control and Prevention Agency. diseases.
"All this is possible thanks to the patience and cooperation of the population over a long period
," she said.
South Korea had recorded a peak of more than 620,000 cases of Covid-19 per day in mid-March, but contaminations have since been in
“regular decrease”
, the number of seriously ill patients too, and hospital capacity is sufficient, Jeong Eun-kyeong explained.
Read alsoCovid-19: South Korea lifts physical distancing restrictions
Oktoberfest returns to Munich after two years of absence
The famous Munich Beer Festival will take place this year, from September 17 to October 3, after two cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the mayor of the Bavarian capital announced on Friday.
“I have instructed the administration to launch the organization of Oktoberfest 2022 without
health restrictions”, explained Mayor Dieter Reiter during a press conference.
The meeting, which normally brings together more than 5 million people, including a third from abroad, had been canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read alsoThe Oktoberfest, mirror of Bavarian pride
"The framework has evolved"
and
"we can no longer speak of an overload of the health system"
, noted the elected official, who would however have liked to put in place access restrictions, such as for example a health pass or compulsory tests.
But
"there is no law that authorizes me"
to decide on such measures, regretted Dieter Reiter.
The health situation remains degraded in Germany, which is currently registering more than 100,000 new cases of Covid every 24 hours.
The seven-day incidence rate exceeds 750 and several experts are warning of a resurgence of the epidemic.
“I hope the situation will not get worse this fall and that Oktoberfest will not be canceled at the last minute
,” he added.